NEW YORK (WETM) – The High School Regents Examination Program has been canceled for January 2022 due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, according to State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa.
This cancellation applies to all Regents Examinations that had been scheduled for the January 2022 Regents Examination period.
“New York set a daunting record last week with more COVID-19 cases reported in one day than ever before,” Commissioner Rosa said. “Once again, the January Regents Exams cannot be safely, equitably, and fairly administered across the state. We will continue to work with our schools, districts, and stakeholders to ensure they have what they need to provide academic, social and emotional, and mental health supports for our students.”
The New York State Department of Education says decisions have not yet been made regarding the June and August 2022 administrations of Regents Examinations or any other State assessment programs.
“Given the unevenness of this school year with the pandemic still ongoing and the acute social-emotional needs of our students, canceling the January Regents exams is the right choice,” said the New York State United Teachers. “We thank Commissioner Rosa, Chancellor Young and the Board of Regents for recognizing that our educators are still assessing their students, preparing them to receive their diplomas and setting them up for success after graduation without this round of state exams.”
Modifications to Diploma Requirements for Students Impacted by the Cancellation of January 2022 Regents Examinations
Due to the cancellation of the January 2022 Regents Examinations, the Department of Education says they will ask the Board of Regents to approve modifications to the assessment requirements that students must meet to earn high school diplomas, credentials, and endorsements.
These modifications apply to all students who are completing a secondary-level course of study or make-up program in January and are scheduled to participate in one or more of the January 2022 Regents Examinations.
Regents Examination Exemptions
To ensure students are not adversely impacted by the cancellation of the exams, the Department says they will also ask the Board of Regents to adopt emergency regulations regarding the assessment requirements students must ordinarily meet to earn a diploma.
Under the proposed emergency regulations, students who are planning to take one or more Regents Examinations during the January 2022 examination period at the conclusion of a course of study or make-up program shall be exempt from the requirements pertaining to passing a corresponding Regents Examination to be issued a diploma.
To qualify for the exemption, the student must meet one of these requirements by the end of the first semester of the 2021-22 school year:
- Be enrolled in a course that would ordinarily culminate with a January 2022 Regents Examination and earn credit for such course of study;
- Complete a make-up program to earn course credit; or
- Be prepared to take a required Regents Examination to graduate at the end of the first semester.
The Department of Education says they are developing additional guidance in the form of an FAQ and will issue that guidance in early January 2022 to address topics such as safety net options, mastery, honors, and technical endorsements so that schools may determine which diplomas to grant to their graduates.
